SPEAKING

The knowledge Shannon Cohen speaks and writes from stems from a background in emotional intelligence research with decades of lived experience as a decorated leader, entrepreneur, and consultant. She has combined both acumen and wisdom gleaned from her own leadership journey to cultivate an authentic empathy towards fellow difference makers. Each speaking engagement, blog post, or inspirational piece unites the idea that to be better leaders, we need to balance being logically honest and healthfully kind towards ourselves.

Shannon helps leaders openly unpack and address the tough challenges they face behind their smiles, titles and roles and helps organizations tackle the issues they wrestle with behind closed doors. Shannon creates safe spaces for leaders and organizations to unveil their truth and walks alongside leaders to strategize and pace solutions that yield results.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

Technical competence and acumen are not enough. The most effective visionaries, difference makers, and managers are adept in the art of people care and people management. That adeptness stems from an awareness and connection to one’s self as a leader. Shannon has taken curriculum she designed and taught as an adjunct professor for undergraduate and graduate courses into boardrooms and organizations nationwide.

The Business Case for Addressing Burnout and Overextension Among Your Team

EVOLVING DIFFERENCE MAKERS

There is a business case for addressing burnout. Tough Skin, Soft Heart is a movement specializing in empowering today’s overextended leader to navigate the emotional, mental, and, physical strain that often accompanies a life committed to being a difference-maker. Shannon is an expert in the connection between emotional intelligence and leadership.

INSPIRING WOMEN LEADERS

Rockstar women—Shannon loves what she calls ‘rockstar’ women. A rockstar leader is a female difference maker who is the rock in her home, marketplace, and community. She gives relentlessly of herself to the causes she believes in, the people she loves, and the work she has committed herself too.

She is the 1st call for help because her judgment is sound and she is known to come through no matter what. She sacrifices, leads, and serves to her own hurt. She seems invincible, to the world around her and the world she impacts, she is invincible. But this invincibility is not without a cost. Shannon knows that the rockstar woman is often the most emotionally neglected. She has no time to become unglued because she is the glue to so much and so many.

Shannon loves pouring into rockstar women and creating safe places for rockstar women to lay down the burden of perfection, invincibility, and fearlessness to take inventory and to listen to the voice of their soul. Her favorite question to ask rockstar women—how are you… for real?

EQUITY & INCLUSION

Shannon is the co-founder of Sisters Who Lead, a movement birthed out a research study Shannon facilitated with Patricia Sosa VerDuin entitled, ‘Invisible Walls, Ceilings, and Floors: Championing the Voices and Inclusion of Female Leaders of Color in West Michigan.’

Shannon is committed to changing the narrative that there are no qualified women of color to fill vacancies in public, nonprofit, and private sector leadership spaces. We are committed to championing the voices and inclusion of female leaders of color in the workforce.

Data is replete with numeric accounting of racial and gender gaps and disparities. Data exists underscoring the business case for diversity in a creative class and knowledge-driven economy. Shannon Cohen, Inc. partners with community and organizational partners committed to rethinking talent attraction, retention, promotion, and employee engagement. Shannon has been a catalyst for the reform of systems, processes, networks, informal and formal policies and workplace culture in the area of equity and inclusion.

SHANNON COHEN HAS THE PASSION AND EXPERTISE TO HELP LEADERS THRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION OF JOY AND PURPOSE.

TESTIMONIALS

“Shannon is a natural go getter with excellent leadership skills, excellent interpersonal communication skills, and she is FUN to work with!”

Commissioner Senita L.

3rd Ward, City of Grand Rapids

“Shannon is an innovative leader with a servant’s heart, and a penchant for advancing social change and community mobilization in the interest of our most vulnerable asset…community youth. She uses her influence to inspire change in organizations and systems previously dominated by worldviews that breed barriers to inclusive and culturally competent environments.”

Cle J.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of MI, Community Responsibility

“Shannon exhibits nothing but professionalism when working on any project. Her energy level, excellence, enthusiasm and spirit of innovation is contagious.”

Klaas K.

Grand Rapids Community College

“Shannon Cohen always comes to mind when I think of professionalism; she has an enviable attention to detail, wonderful follow-through, and is thorough in considering all the aspects of an event which need attention. She is funny and friendly and creative – basically all the attributes one can hope for in a colleague who is…

Dallas L.

Founder, Project GREEN

“Shannon knows that every problem has a solution. She is uncanny in her ability to connect needs to resources. She has added new dimensions to Project GREEN that is reaping dynamic benefits.”

Emmanuel A., III M.Ed.

Grand Rapids Public Schools, Office of Parental Engagement

“Shannon serves our community, specifically our women, in a capacity that allows them to see the potential in their futures.”

Karen H.

Principal, Seyferth PR

“Trust that ANYTHING great can happen when you have Shannon on your team.”

Dr. Karen B.

Professor, Western Michigan University

“Shannon is amazing! Students continually commented on her energy, vision, and passion and how motivated they felt as a result of hearing her speak. She explicitly and implicitly conveys a professional attitude built on integrity and caring.”

Joshua B.

Director, TRIO Upward Bound

“Our emerging leaders absolutely love working with Shannon! Shannon has facilitated workshops at our conferences and her zeal, professionalism, and level of excellence are unprecedented.”

Nadia B.

Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

“Shannon exhibits extreme intentionality ensuring purpose, clarity, and the best outcomes in her work.”

Dr. Howard C. Earle, Jr.

New Hope Baptist Church

“Shannon Cohen is one of the great emerging leaders of this generation. She possesses a servant’s heart, keen insight, integrity and humility – all of which make her a credible voice. Propelled by her personal standard of excellence, she inspires everyone around her and makes them better.”

Andy D.

Executive Director, Heartside Ministries

“I highly recommend Shannon Cohen! In working with our staff and Board, Shannon brought tremendous expertise and passion to build our capacity around equity and inclusion. Her personality and positive energy enabled us to tackle difficult issues and conversations in a way that relaxed tensions but still drove us deeply to the core of the…

Bridget W.

Executive Director, Kids Food Basket

“Shannon took the time to get to know our organization, and through her work, presented us with opportunities to learn more about ourselves. Through her expert guidance, Shannon took our project to the next level. She is a warm, engaging and inspirational leader with a big heart!”

Janay B.

CEO, Public Thread

“Shannon Cohen is a leading intellectual, spiritual and emotional healer, guide (shamen) and partner for individuals and groups that wish to operate daily as their best selves. She gives you honest and helpful feedback, support and strategies to overcome yourself when you get in your own way.”

Denise H.

Director of Prevention Services, Network180

“Why follow the norm when you can lead the pack! Shannon challenged us to remove our clinical lenses and “Think BIG! Through her nurturing spirit the group created a shared vision and achieved a path towards sustainable change. Utilizing a simple formula of people, passion, and partnerships we have become authentic, innovative and an industry…

Dave M.

SVP, Training and Communication Director, Mercantile Bank

“Shannon Cohen has the ability to help attendees reframe key concepts and delivers practical actions that can be immediately implemented. She has led our company’s leaders in custom trainings on emotional intelligence in the workplace. Whenever we bring in Shannon, we are guaranteed to hear rave reviews and see results!”

Diana S.

President, Grand Rapids Community Foundation

“Shannon Cohen is a skilled and empathetic facilitator. She skillfully led our staff team through various exercises helping us realize how our personal life experiences affect our world view. The impact was powerful!”